[stephenkhoo]

LASTING LIFE CAN ONLY COME FROM GOD
SCRIPTURE READINGS: GEN 17:3-9; JN 8:51-59
http://www.universalis.com/20140410/mass.htm

The fifth week of Lent, before the liturgical reform, was called Passion Week because this is the week that the Church highlights the mounting tensions against Jesus leading to His death as a result of His boldness in declaring His identification with God. Yet, for the church, it is because Jesus is the “I am” that He could give us life, even in death. This, then, is the theme of today’s scripture readings.

The irony of life is that there is nothing more fearful in life than death. People are frightened of death simply because death is an isolation. We are frightened of physical death because it means to depart from our friends and from the world that we are so attached to. But not only physical death, we are even more afraid of a living death. That is to say that we are physically alive but are rejected by our fellow human beings. In other words, we fear the death of our ego – a theme highlighted in yesterday’s readings. The question that calls for our reflection this morning is how we can overcome the fear of death, be it physical or a personal death? The key to liberation from death is relationship.

In the first reading, Abraham was promised perpetuity for his family and his land, provided he remained faithful to the covenant that God had established with him. Indeed, in the first place, if Abram could step out of his own country and go to an unknown place that God promised him, it meant that Abram must have a deep relationship with God, a relationship so intimate that is expressed by his faith. Without a deep relationship, it is impossible to have such a faith. Conversely, without faith, there cannot be a deep relationship. Hence, in the case of Abram, he conquered all his fears because of his relationship with God in faith.

What is said of Abraham is even more true for Jesus. In the gospel we find that Jesus is not fearful of death. According to Him, one could never die if we only know who the Father is. This is true on both levels. Firstly, if we know God intimately, then we know that physical death is not really death. In the eyes of God, there is no death. God is the “I am who am.” He always lives. Rightly so, Jesus could confidently declare Himself as the “I am”. He knew the Father so intimately and personally that He also knew that death is but an illusion. Not only for Him, but all those who know God, including Abraham, will not die. That is why Jesus could say that “Abraham rejoiced to think that he would see my Day.”

Secondly, those who know God will also not die a living death. So long as we do not seek the glory of the world and the glory from our fellow human beings, there is no question of fear. Fear of the death of our ego comes about only when we seek to please so as to win acceptance and recognition. But those who give us the glory and so-called love also have the power to take away our glory and love.

Hence, most of us are so miserable and confused. We live under the manipulation of people. One day they say that we are great and we feel so great. Next day, they say we are terrible and then we feel terrible. When that happens, our happiness is short-lived, always under threat, not knowing how long it is going to last. So, we cannot really be happy in the final analysis.

For Jesus, His personal freedom comes from the fact that He knows that the only glory that will last is the glory that comes from God Himself. Only that kind of glory, no one can take away from Him. Indeed, He declared that “If I were to seek my own glory that would be no glory at all.” “My glory” He said, “is conferred by the Father.” What is this glory that is conferred by the Father? It is but His glory of sonship, His sonship that was fully confirmed in His death and resurrection. Hence, because Jesus knew that He was forever the Son of the Father, He could live His life in full confidence of His love. There was no need then for Him to seek to please people. He only needed to be simply Himself. Truly, Jesus was so true to Himself that even when people wanted Him to deny His own identity, He remained firm in His convictions.

Yes, we too can find real freedom if only we realize that God has given each one of us our own glory. We are all called to live out our own sonship according to the plan that He has for us. Instead of trying to please people, we only need to be true to ourselves. But to be true to self presupposes the thing that is absolutely necessary. We must be in a deep relationship with God first. Unless we know Him, how can we know ourselves? Unless we truly believe from the depth of our hearts that He loves us, how can we not avoid seeking the love and honour that comes from our fellow human beings? But if we have a deep covenantal relationship with God and can declare with Jesus that we know the Father as well, then we will also be liberated like Him. Lent is therefore the invitation to come to know ourselves, knowing God as our life.

Written by The Most Rev Msgr William Goh
Archbishop of Singapore